Tractor.



w. P. ALLEN.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION f1LED.LuLY 22, L9 L L.

l l ,139;,QG9 Patented' May 11, 1915.

t Lil l LI L: nu. ooooolbo 4Le :ou

li I" LL o o o o o o l L l| LL o n *L7 o o I o o o o o o o LI L atractor. l

It consists of the features and elements 'WILLIAM r. ALLEN, or LITTLEnooit, anKANsAs, AssIGNoR To COMPANY, A conreaA'rIoN or ILLINOIS.

ALLEN maneras. l

TRACTOR.

Lisanne.

Specification cfLetters Patent. Patnted piggy 11, 1915'. Originalapplication led Ianuary`31, 14,910, Serial No. 541,097. Divided and thisapplication le July 22,`

useful Improvements in Tractors, of which the following is aspecifica-tion, reference be ing had to. the accompanying drawings,forminga pa`r`t thereof.

This application is a division of my applicationNo. 541,087, filedJanuary 31, 1910, and relates to an improved construction of describedand Ashown in the drawings as indicated in the claims. 4 4 In thedrawings Figure 1 is aside-elevation of the tractor mechanism embodyingthis invention. Fig. 2'is a top 'plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is adetail section taken 'as indicated at line 3-#3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4

is an enlarged detail plan view' of a link of the tractor chain. Fig. 5is a section taken as indicated at line 5 5 on Fig. 4. Fig. 5 isa sideelevation of a roller shown in Figs. 1 and 5.`

The tractor element of this structure, ini dependently of the vehiclewith which-it wouldv be connected, but which is not shown in thedra'wings herewithfwill alone ,be de@ scribed. It comprises thehorizontal axle bearing frame consisting ofitwo longitiu1 Via nal,beams, 1, 1, 'im-form in cross section,

which are rigidly joined by. front and rear yokes, 2, 2, which extendrespectively forward and rearward around the tractor apron which-ismounted between the longitudinal beams, 1. beams are mounted axle boxes,3, in which are journaled tractor axles, i.

0n each axle, near the bearings in' the axle boxes, there are-mounted.rigidly two chain-engaging wheels', ll, theright-hand and left-'handwheels on the two.axles being respectively alined fore-andaft. forconnection by the tractor chains about to be de` scribed. Thechain-engaging wheels each comprise'a radial flange, lb, and laterallyprojecting annular flanges, Ll, 'at opposite sides of the'radial flange;said radial flange is provided with notches, 4, for engaging the chainpintles, as hereinafter more p'articularly described.

The structure of the links of the tractor Upon vsaid, longitudinalVchain may be understood from Figs. e and 5. Each link comprises twoparallel webs,6, G, connected by a transverse web, 7,`form'ing f a'saddle'- adapted `to stride the flange, 4b, of the chain-engaging wheel.The inner edgesof theiianges, 6, are curvedto conform to and seat on theannular flanges, 4, of 1the wheel; At the outer side, the links areV-shaped preferably'withv a wide angle (as illustrated, 3120 vdegrees),'this being the form in section transversefto the axis of the v.wheelof the web, 7. 'Thelateral webs or flanges, 6, of the link extendlongitudinally.

beyond the web,l7, andat onelend they are -spread widely ,enough toadmit' between I them the' other end of the link, and the correspondingend of the next adjacent link is thus entered, and the two areAconnected togetherby a hollow pi'ntle or, sleeve, 8, taking throughlthe four terminals thus assembled.

Abolt, Sa, extends through the 'hollow pintle and projects beyond thelink at one side, being the outerside when it is mounted on the4 wheel,and on slid projecting end carries an antifriction roller, 9. The linkhas an annular boss, 6a, projecting around the pintle at the sideopposite thatat which j the roller ismounted, and a'cotter pin, 9, in-4serted through this boss andv through the pintleand the bolt, 8a, stopsboth said pintle and bolt against rotating in the link. The two wheel-s,l", upon each axle are mounted vthereon with their chain-engagingnotches,v 4, alined transversely with thei wheels,' that is, parallelwith the axle,-se that the two chains havefth-eir respective links .di-

rectly opposite each other throughout their entire extent .around bothwheels; and these opposite links are rigidly joined together by metalplates, 10, bolted on lthe `outer sloping surfaces of the V-shaped webs,7,1 and there V is further applied to each pair of links thus joined anangle plate,11, having oneiiange bolted on outside of one of the plates,10;

and its other flange projecting from the angle of the web or meetinglineof the two plates in a plane substantially bisecting such' angle.This'mode of construction results in a tractor apron whose'width issubstantially ino the entire distance between the'sidel ybarsof theframe and Jwhich has, a ground engage- I ment whose area is that widthmultipliedJv by the longitudinalV distance from axle to axleg'and suchground engagement 1s rendered most ei'licient for all varieties of trackupon which the device may be.operating by the ribs formed by theprojecting iange of. the angle plates, 11, which will engage com!paratively yhard soil suiiciently to prevent slipping', and by thewideangular alternating recesses land projections or` Vshaped ribsandlehannels formed by the plates, 10, constituting the apron members,vsaid angular form havingthe effect to compactthe earth betweenthesloping faces and prevent it from being plowed by the device; thatis,

area of engagement of the tractor with the earth may be available andoperative for traction, it is necessary that the lower ply yof thetractorzapron between the wheels be .prevented from bowing up, andshall, on the contrary, be held positively instraight line from tangentpoint to tangent point on the Wheels, and it-is for this purpose thatthe rollers, 9, are provided on the chain spindles.

For coperating with these rollersthere is' provided at each side achannel bar, 13, which is rigidly suspended by brackets, 14, from thelongitudinal beam, l, the channel i lbeing located in the path of therollers, 9,

from wheel to wheel; that is, so that the center of the channel istangent to the path about the wheel of the axes of the chain pintles androllers. The channels are wide enough to' permit the rollers to travelfreely in them, so that they are in contact with and roll on the upperflange when the weight isv carried without jolting,'and uponlthe lowerflange in case of any rocking or jolting or dragging of the apronoperating to produce distortion at any particular point.

Considering the structure thus it will be observed that the lower ply ofthe tracker apron engaged with the earth or roadway is fixed inposition, 'and that the movement of travel which occurs 1s a movey mentof the frame and load carried by the 50 tractor on the rollers, 9, withwhich the channel bars, 13, are engaged and to which the entire: load istransmitted by such channel bars,l The operation is therefore similar tothat of moving-a log on rollers mounted in fixed bearings in a chute orrun-way, and theemployment of the rollers insures i the performance4 ofthe work with theiminimum loss by friction in this travel. willbefurther observed that they connection of the `opposite links of the twotractor chains rigidly .by the apron plates, 10, operates to prevent anytipping Of the chains which would cause cramp-` ing of the rollers i'ntheir track along the channel bars, and also operates to predescribed,`

vent the turning of the rollersihorizontally out of their true directtransverse position,

, and that this rigid connection, itherefore, tends greatly'to reducethe friction of travel.

In view of the fact that the lchannel bars,v as above stated, carrytheentire load, they are reinforced by angle bars, 16, having thehorizontal flange lodged upon the -upper horizontal flanges of thechannel bar and the vertical flange bolted to the brackets,

lf-l. Further to reinforce the channel bars and hold them very rigidlyin their proper 'position with respect to the frame, and especially toprevent their, longitudinal displacement, and further as a means offacilitating the advance of the tractor over uneven ground, curvedbraces, 18,' of sled runner form are rigidly bolted to the ends of thechannel bars and extend longitudinally therefrom, being curved upwardlyto the front and rear bows, 2, 2, respectively.

The drawings are designed to illustrate merely the tractor mechanismproper with outl indicating what sort of vehicle is to becarried'thereby or what particular type of `motive power is to beemployed. Fig. l,

however, shows a driving chain, 19, for the wheel,A t", and bevel gearconnections. 20, from an oblique 'propeller shaft, 21, which would beoperatively connected with an engine or motor mounted in the vehiclebody above the tractor and not shown.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings there is shown in side elevation and partlybroken away, a

rectangularA metalvbox, Y, which is of such .exterior dimensions as tofit snugly within the frame between the two pairs of tractor This box isdesigned in addition toserving the purpose of horizontal bracing for theframe, to hold material with which it may be loaded for weighting thetractor in any c asein which such additional weight may be 'desirablefor increasing -the traction.

Iclaim: y' l. A tractor belt comprising a series of traction bladesVextending transversely of thedirection of travel at the road-engagingply ico iio

of thel belt, and-a corrugated supporting .i

member comprising surfaces which slope up# wardly from the oppositefaces of each of said blades at said road-engaging ply.

" 2. A; tractor belt composed of a series of pivotal'ly-connected links,each of said links comprising a traction blade extending transversely ofthe direction of travel when in road-engaging position and in a planeintermediate the link pivots, and supporting surfaces which slopeupwardly from the opposite faces of such blade when the link is 1inlthelower and road-engaging ply of the 3. In an endless belt tractor, atraction belt comprising a series of links anguliu' in Sectiontransverse tothe link pivots, the apex of the angle being in a planetransverse to the-travel of the tractor belt and intermedi- I atetheaxes of said link pivots, each'of 'said n links having.a:blade-like-traction Arib pro-' rection of traifel, and the distances-frorn'the' apexes of such successi-ve corrugationsA be-vingsubstantially greater than the depth 'of the space between them, and said projecting corrugations, being` each 'provided with a blade-like-`traction rib extendingtrans'- versely of thedirection ofttra'tvel,arranged to pro]ect the road surface.`

downwardly for engagement with 5. Atractorcomprlsin'g-aframe and four lcarrying wheels' therefor, two.v at. each side;

a tractor 'apron consisting of tractor chains traveling respectivelyabout the Wheels atl opposite' sides having' their i links angle- A.shaped in section transverse to the chain pivots, and platesAconnecting the opposite4 links of the two chains, secured for such con--nection to the oppositely inclinedv sides of the angle-shaped l1nks.';r

6. Atractor comprising a frame-,tractorcarrying Wheels journaled ,ontheframe; a- -tractor apron encompassing such wheels,

such aproncomprising chains positioned on their wheels with their linksrespectively op.- 'posite each other; webs orplates rigidlyconnectingthe opposite links, such Webstbeing angular or shaped intransverse Asection and hayingieach a traction rib. projecting from theangle.

'drivingwhls jemals 7. In' a tractor,"`inf combination vyith a. fra-me,carr' "g wheelsl journaled therein, and a trac or chain about said owheels fotra'v'el theeon, the.- chain comprising a' series of-pivoallconnected links,

rollers mounted onthe cham at thelink piv ots, a bar on the -fra-meitioned above said rollersl at 'the course o the lower ply of 5 thechain and forming' atrack therefdr. 1nd

a guard-rail positioned belnw/the rollers i posite saiditrack ba1',

8. A tractor complici?" iframe, tractor thereon, and the u tractorapron- 4enco'mpa'angsaid wheels,

vsuch apron ,consisting oityvo having their links respectively Aoppositeeach other,

and Webs or plates' rigidly'connecting the opposite links, rollers'mounted'fon the chains 55 at the pivots, and Vtracks positioned 'aboveandbelow said rollers at the course of the lower 'ply of the chamf 9; 'Atractor consisting of tractor Wheels; a tractor. apron encon assing s 60wheels land comprising pivote. y connected links; rollers mounted atthelink pivots' of such apron, and channel .bars positioned to protrudeth'eir'flangesA above and .below the rollers to serve as tracks for the.same at the 0 5. `course of the lower. ply of the a ron.

Inte'st'unon .whereofl have ereunfo set my hand' .at 'ittle Rack..4.Arkansas this 1s day of July, 1911.

WILLIAM-1P. ALLEN Witnesses:

R. R. LYNN, A. S, MAoKENzm.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forve cents ea'ch, by' addressingthe Gommlnioner 'of Intenta,

`Washingtom. C.

